A problem in Brazil

Alec, thanks for showing this. Well over 50% of wood from Brazil is illegal ?

It’s not just Brazil W & R, It’s all over the place: Indonesia, most of west Africa and central Africa, most of south America.
It’s all tied to corruption. The logger corrupt the local official and they can cut pretty much what they want. they even displace villagers. To export it, they have partners in customs, faked document dully signed.

I know. I just weep at the senselessness of capitalism sometimes. We are cutting down the lungs of the world and making boxes for our nieces to put pencils in. I am really struggling with this article. It’s made me very sad.

I thought that this problem had been fixed. I guess that there are just enough crooked and greedy people in this world that rules just don’t count.

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/news/Blogs/makingwaves/fsc-suspends-three-certificates-of-the-worlds/blog/47684/

Thanks, Moment…at least someone is watching them. They’ll continue as they were, of course, but at least we know now and can avoid their products. If we stop and look at where the wood comes from and look for the certifications maybe we can force them into compliance.

Sadly when I read this, "Greenpeace’s spokesman added: “We asked Jewson what steps it was taking to ensure its Brazilian timber was legal. The company said it ‘fully recognised the importance of auditable and independent certification’ and said its ‘priority was always to ask for Chain of Custody certified product wherever possible’.” I had to cringe. “wherever possible”? Why is it not possible? Are they afraid they’ll run out of wood? Do they think it’s OK to sell illegal wood if no legal wood is available? Do they know there’s no point asking because no certs exist?

It’s like a gun shop saying,“We do the background checks whenever we can, sometimes it’s just not convenient.”

Sorry….end of rant…it’s late and time for bed (pine, local)

You know certification is just to make the people with conscience feel comfortable.
How do you the nike shoes you buy on ebay or reputable store a real one?
Actually most of them are made in the same factory that makes the real shoes in the same package.
What does it have to do with wood? nothing. The principle is the same.
The same certified logger just cut more tree and nobody is there to check.
You lumber yard is too happy the get the extra lumber at a discount.
So we can feel good when seeing that stamp on lumber or at door and even on the receipts; but the truth is nobody is watching.

Just like our dear FDA. they have very few inspectors and hardly do any inspection and that is a government agency.

Oh don’t forget the people here at home who are cutting the burl part of giant tree in national park and sell it to small lumber yard and make few hundred while a few hundred tree is condemned

I think I am going to leave it at that; it might get political.

Best to let this thread end. I just wanted to bring it up so we can all decide what’s best for our situation.

lanwater is right, this is no place for politics but I will leave one thought…

If the wood has been cut, regardless of how, it is our duty to make it as great as it can be. Try to choose well.

I think that we should walk away from it. If you buy it, that will produce a market for the wood.
And off you go. Cutting of more trees. Use More pallets.

Hong Kong is beginning to burn it’s massive, 30 ton stockpile of confiscated ivory, adding to the 14 tons already destroyed by France, the US and China, in an effort to undercut the market of illegal ivory. If Brazil would do the right thing and block the exportation of these illegally cut woods, confiscate known stockpiles, and put perpetrators in jail it would do a lot to help undercut that market. Setting up a system of authentication of legal harvesting available to buyers would help, as well and, if there is already such a system in place, the onus is on buyers to purchase only legally cut wood,